1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a light emitting diode package and a package fabricated by the method, and more particularly, to a method of fabricating a light emitting diode package with surface treated resin encapsulant and a package fabricated by the method.
2. Discussion of the Background
A light emitting diode has been widely used for indicators, display boards and display devices since the light emitting diode can implement colors. White light can also be implemented, so that the light emitting diode has been used for general illumination. Further, light in regions besides visual light, i.e., ultraviolet or infrared light, can be implemented, so that the light emitting diode has been used in various fields such as an optical communication. Since such a light emitting diode has high efficiency and long life span and is ecological, the fields in which the light emitting diode is used have been continuously extended.
A light emitting diode made of an inorganic based material, such as GaN, GaAs or GaP, is generally fabricated in the form of a chip and assembled together with leads and a package main body. A light emitting diode package is fabricated to have various structures, e.g., a chip type structure, a top view structure, a side view structure, a power type structure and a lamp type structure.
A light emitting diode package fabricated with the aforementioned structures typically contains a light emitting diode mounted within a recess of the package main body, electrically connected to leads that protrude to the outside of the package main body and encapsulated by a resin. Said resin encapsulant is then covered by a resin molding member. The resin molding member has appropriate hardness to protect the resin encapsulant and the light emitting diode chip.
Many top view light emitting diode packages employ the resin encapsulant with a relatively low hardness and the resin molding member with a relatively high hardness, thereby protecting the light emitting diode chip from moisture and an external force. Unfortunately, due to the differences in thermal expansion coefficients of the resin encapsulant and the resin molding member, cracks or deformation of the resin encapsulant occurs.
In addition, in a case where the resin encapsulant and the resin molding member are formed of different materials from each other, an air layer may be formed in an interface there between. As time goes on, the resin molding member may be separated from the resin encapsulant. The air layer formed in the interface between the resin encapsulant and the resin molding member and a space formed due to the separation at the interface change the light radiation characteristic of the light emitting diode package, thereby reducing the life span of the package.